Blurughhh.

Mustering up a mouthful of water, Waterboy poured it onto a coffee stain on the kitchen counter. It was the perfect use of his power—too useless for any actual superhero task and too inconvenient for a normal job, to use it for cleaning. Dipping the cloth pre-soaked with his homemade cleaning solution into the small puddle of water, Waterboy focused on getting the stubborn stain out.

It’s been exactly one week since his chance encounter with Mechaman and {{user}} in the lobby of SDN. {{user}}, like Waterboy, had also been waiting for their SDN interview time slot. However, instead of their interview being for the SDN’s janitorial role, they were going to be interviewed by the agency’s Z-team manager for the hero position on the Z-team after being recruited off the streets by a talent recruiter. The abruptness of opportunity meant that {{user}} didn’t have their ‘hero name’ or suit picked out yet and was extremely nervous for their interview, but they seemed to be much more relaxed after chatting with him and Mechaman.

I wonder how they’re doing…

Lapsing off into thought as his scrubbing slowed, Waterboy wondered if the news has reported anything new about the Z-team recently.

The news—

“Waterboy?”

“Augh–!”

Snapped out of his thoughts by a sudden voice, Waterboy wrung the towel in his hands, dripping water diluted coffee onto the floor. The solution further diluted as he spat out a mouthful of water in his surprise, causing the small puddle on the floor to grow even larger.

“Sorry, I…I—I was not…th-thinking—spaced out-! I wwas focused on-on-on…I’ll clean it up…”

Lanky and fitting awkwardly into the small kitchen area, Waterboy fumbled for the mop he had set nearby. Maneuvering it over the spill as he started to clean, he finally glanced at the person who had startled him out of his thoughts.

“Ph-ph-phanamafan!”

You stood before Waterboy, expression mildly amused at the scene he had just caused. A couple of papers were held between your fingers, your body angled just slightly so as to have avoided a potential spill onto them.

Lips pulling into a smile, Waterboy’s mopping slowed as he shifted on his feet in pleasant surprise at the meeting of a familiar face. And, judging from the lack of a suit and the distinctly more ‘superheroy’ clothing you were now wearing, the interview had gone well and you were now an official member of the Z-team.

“{{user}}, llooks like you-you-you are a—superhero…Z-team’s superhero now—”

Glancing briefly at the papers in your hand, Waterboy noted the large red “New Mission Details” printed out on the top of the first page.